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Capacity development for female councillors

VBNK is very proud to have contributed to raising the voices of Provincial and District female councillors in addressing citizens’ needs. In April VBNK successfully facilitated two-day parallel workshops on ‘Strengthening Female Councillors’ Voices and Networking at Capital, Provincial, Municipality, District and Khan Level’ for 126 provincial and district female councillors in 8 provinces. The Secretariat of National Council for Sub-national Democratic Development (NCDD-S) organized four workshops in two different venues, Kratie and Kompong Cham, with financial and technical support by the GIZ-run EU project for Decentralization and Administrative Reform (EU-DAR). Four of VBNK’s experienced facilitators were assigned to facilitate the learning process, in collaboration with the Secretariat General of the Associations of Sub-National Administration Councils (ASAC). The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and the Ministry of Interior provided technical support and backstopping as needed during the implementation.

This was the second time that VBNK was chosen by the EU project to provide this facilitation and capacity development support for strengthening the female councillors. The first time was in 2016 for female Commune Councillors.

VBNK is delighted to see the how the increased confidence of female councillors enables them to better raise their voices to address their constituents’ needs in the democratic and decentralization process of Cambodia.

Ms Prak Puthy, Provincial Council Member, Svay Rieng presenting her proposal in the workshop in a very confident way with clear voice and active body language.

The workshop helped me to understand well about the governmental policies related to the role of the female councillors and gender. It helped me to know how to analyze the issues of the citizens and raise them for solutions from the councillors and Board of Governance. Before, my speaking skill was low, I couldn’t speak precisely, but now I could speak well with the evidence and good arguments. It has built my courage in speaking and raising issues without fear. It even encourages us to mobilize other women to participate in the development process as well.

Ms Meas Soknov, District Council Member, Kohsotin, Kompong Cham:

The workshop is successful in strengthening the voices of the female councillors due to 3 main reasons: 1) the facilitators allowed the participants to express ideas; 2) the facilitators provided an opportunity for the female councillors to share knowledge and experiences with each other and 3) the facilitators provided priority and encouragement for the female councillors to share ideas without fear and opened for all ideas. Finally, she added that the female councillors are not fear or shy anymore now. In the past, normally women always sit at the back in a meeting, but now we are taking a lead.